Printing machine



A ril 26 1927.

p w. G. REYNOLDS PRINTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1925 April 26 1927.

Iii

- W. G. REYNOLDS PRINTING MACHINE Filed OGL 2. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A w. G. REYNOLDS PRINTING MAC HiNE Filed Oct. 2, 1925 ,s Sheets-Sheet3 Patented Apr. 25, 192?. 1

.rs a." v 1 "WILLIAM GEORGE REYNOLDS. 03? GRANDVIEEV MANITOBA, CANADA.

PRINTING- MACHINE.

Application filed October 2, 1925, Serial No. 60,064, and in. Gan-aria October 13, 1924.

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view at 44l- Figure 8.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view through the jack screw employed and the gears associated therewith.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed horizontal sectional View at 6-6 Figure 4.

The invention relates to improvements in printing machines and an object of the invention is to provide printing machine wherein the paper sheets to he printed are placed in a stack within the machine and are automatically "ted to the platen and are withdrawn from the platen after the printing has 1e .n done thereon. lil 7 is an inverted Ilan view of the e n e n 1 b A. further ob ect of the invention is to proplaten.

8 is an ei'ilarged detailed verti all seeview at t l--53 ride av machine having; an internal magazine F1512 F .c igure 4. is a pcrsn for the stack of sheets to be printed and the tienal platen thereof provided with means for et- FAQ- five view showing one tecting a suction blast to withdraw a sheet oi the kickers tor ..,ll('l1]g the edges of the f p p th t k nd hold it 1 the papers, and also the operating mechanism platen during the entire printing mperatirm t erefor. I and turtl'ier to provide the machine with B19210 1s a perspective view shown'lg the means for :nitomaticallv withdrawing the operating niechai'iisni tor the striker emprinted sheet trom the platen, therehv clearploved for striking: the front end f th the printed sheet trom the machine and papers. I permitting a further sheetto take its place 11 is a perspective v1ew ol: the oper- (m th ht atmg: mechanism controlling the striker for A further ohiect is to provide a construcs riking the rear ends ot the papers. tion which will cause the stack of paper to Fig;- 12 1 an en]arged detailed inverted 11 i; f th d f th l t i th plan view of the ratchet wheel and parts asnp -niovement oi? the platen and will return SOG1 1td therewith. the stack of paper to its initial position after Fig. 13 IS an enlarged detailed vertical "platen has ome back SGCtlOTltll VJGW tlt l.3-13 Figure A 'turthcr object is to provide a table for Flex lei; 133 face view of the cam located siu'npertinp the stack of papers and means at the rearslde of the machine. associated with the table for automatically In the drawino's like characters of reiterraisins; the same, one sheet displacement each ence indicate corresponding parts in the sevtime :i sheet is printed. eral figures.

The main frame ot the machine presents A tm'ther object is to provide a machine which is entirely automatic 1n its operation, similar opposi :paeed, vertically disposed, front and rear 0 plates '1. and 2 connected it being only necessary to place the stack of sheets therein and to drive the machine, hv suitably positioned cross webs 3 and 4,

the feeding. prii'iting' and removal of the the lower end oi. the plates being; termed sheets being all done without requiring manto provide side legs 5 and 6 which can he permanently bolted as indicated at 7 to a ual attention.

With the above more important objects supporting base. The side plates are each in view the invention consists essentially in provided with op iiosing extensions 8 and 9 the arrangement and construction of parts which carry an elevated cross shaft 10. The

inner faces oi the s de plates are each prohcreinatter more particularly described, reterenee being had to the accompanying clrawvidcd with OPPOSIHQ', vertically extending tracks 11 and 11 and also with a comparaine's in which:

hie. j is. a side view ot the machine, the lively wide verticzdl disposed, centrally powheel heii sitioned channel 12. I l 2 is a iront view of the macl'iine. Between the side plates 1 locate a substan tially rectangular Carri. 13 which is pro Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, the fly wheel 0 and associated parts being removed. vlded with side wings 13 shdably received within the channels 12 and the carriage is provided on the underside centrally with a downwardly extending boss 14. which is straddled by theql'ornied ends 15 of a swinging arm 15, the arm being centrally positioned between the plates and having the outer end thereof rotatably mounted on the shaft 10. This arm is swung, up and down in a manner later described, and in such movement shifts the carriage, there being suflicient clearance provided at 15 to allow ot' the vertical swinging movement of the arm, without striking the boss.

Above the carriage I locate a substantially rectangular table 16 which is litted with corner lugs 16 which ride the inner faces of the tracks 11 and 11 and the table is supported centrally by a jack screw 17 which screw threads through a bevel wheel 18 located at the upper end of an internally screw threaded sleeve 18, also threading on the jack screw and rotatably mounted within the boss lal. Suitable bearings 19 are introduced between the bevel wheel and the face of the carriage. It will be observed that the sleeve extends beyond the boss for a purpose later described.

A shaft 20 is rotatably mounted in the earriage and has the outer end squared for the application of a hand crank (not shown) and the inner end is fitted with a bevel gear 20' operating through a suit-able slot prtr vided in the carriage and meshing with the bevel gear 18.

An integrally formed disc 21 and ratchet wheel 21 are secured to the 1'irojecting end of the sleeve and the disc is titted with a circumferential channel which receives a ring 22, the ring being free to rotate in the channel and being provided with a lateral extension 22 which supports pivotally, a spring pressed ratchet 2 5 engaging the ratchet wheel. A rod 2-1 is pivotally connected. to the ring extension and is adjustably attached to the side plate 2 as indicated at 2a. The arrangement is such that in the up and down movement of the arm 15, the ratchet wheel is rotated a preselected distauce and in a direction such that the jack screw will rise. and in rising, raise the carriage. The amount which the carriage rises for each reciprocation. of the arm 15 is equal to the thicln'iess oi the sheets of paper being printed in the machine. a stack of paper 25 embodying a coi'isiderable number of similar sheets, being placed on the carriage.

The upper ends of the plates 1 and 2 are provided with opposing bearings 26 which carry rotatahly, a cross shaft 26 to which I attach the substantially rectangular plat-en 27. A gear wheel 98 is secured to the forward end of the shaft 26 and the crank 28 is secured to the rear end thereof the crank being provided with an outstanding crank pin 28 and the gear wheel with an outstanding pin aligned with the crank pin. The from plate 1 litted with a hangar 25) and the said plate and hangar support rotatably. a driving shaft 29 and the driving shaft carries a fly wheel ill) and a pinion 31, the pinion meshing continuously with the gear wheel 2h. A hand grip Eli! is attached to the tly wheel for manually rotating the same.

To the side plates 1 and 2 a pair of upwardly extending swinging side arms 33 and 33 are pivotally attached at 33" and these side arms carry the type bed tl-l and the inking disc 3-35 and the arms are connected by a cross web 36. The side arms 33 and B3 are connected by a cross shaft 37. the ends of which support similar side carriers -5? and 37 for the inking rollers the inkinc rollers being adapted to travel on the inner edges of the upper ends oi the arn'is 33 and 312-3, over the type bed and over the inkingdisc. An inking device (not shown) is provided for inking the disc, but as this is commonly employed, I have not shown or described the same.

A link 39 is pivotally connected to the cross web 36 and to the arm 15. the arrangement being such that the in and out move ment of the side arms. later described proouccs a down and up movement of the arm 15. The shaft 37* is connected by pitmcn 4-0 and 40 to the pins 2% and 28" respectively, such pitmen producing an in and out swinging i'mwcment ot the arms 3 and 33 and parts carried thereby in the rotation of the shaft 26.

The side carriers 33? and ii? for the inking rollers are littcd with flanges 37 and one of these flanges. in the present instance. is connected by means of a link ll lo the upper end of the side plate 1. the link being pivotally connected at -'l-l to the said plate and at -11 to the flange.

The arms 3i and Z3. and all the parts carried thereby. including the type bed. inking dii'c. inking rollers and roller carriers are all oi ordinary construction. being commonly used on printing machines at pres ent manuiacturcd, and on this account a more detailed description ol them is nol herein given. lheir movement. under the influence 0'! the pitinen and links l-l is also the same as usual. the turning of the shaft 26 cilt'ectin r the in and out swinging movement oi the type bed and also the turning of the carriers to cause the inking rollers to travel up and down to ink the type or l'orm and pass over the inking disc.

I might here eaplain that in printing machines. it is usual to slack the shects adjoining the machine and feed them by hand into the machine or to attach an automatic feeder to the machine to :uitoiuatically t'ccd the sheet ccordiug to my invention. hove ever the machine is designed to provide a magazine for the stack of sheets and the sheets are picked off the stack by a suction draft associated directly with the platen, is held on the platen during the printing operation and is removed from the platen after the printing, by auton'iatically operated fingers.

lily device is not an automatic feeding attachment to a printing machine. but rather a printing machine designed and constructed such that the automatic paper feeder is incorporated as a part. of the machine.

As hereinbefore stated, the stack of papers placed on the table and takes a position between the table and the platen, which it will be observed has its face normally down as best shown in lfiigure of the dra vings The platen is operated in unison with the type bed 34 and to this I secure an upstanding bracket 42 permanently to the platen, t 1e upper end of the bracket being pivotally connected by a pin a2 to the inner end of a link 43, the outer end of the link being rotatably mounted on the shaft 37*. The inner end of the link, receiving the pin, is slotted as indicated at 4:3 to permit of a short idle endwise movement of the link and the arrangement is such that in the in swinging movement of the arms 33 and 33, the platen and type bed come correctly together in the usual manner to effect the printing of the sheet. The slot 423 permits of an idle movement of the link 43 as aforesaid to give the stack of paper, time to clear away before the platen starts to rotate, and here it is pointed out that before the platen starts to swing back, the arm 15 starts to lower the table and consequently the stack of papers. The said slot also obviously permits the platen to get back into this original position before the stack of papers has come back up to its original position.

It is very desirable, that at the instance, the paper is being printed. between the type bed and the platen, that the platen be positivclv locked against rotation and to this end I provide a plurality of locking dog it permanently secured to a cross shaft rotatably carried by the upper ends of the side plates 1 and i and these dogs, when locking the platen, are timed by a cam. to pass into and out of engagement with suitable shoulders indicated at 46 formed on the top side of the platen.

The forward end of the shaft 4-5 is provided with an upstanding crank 47 and the crank carries a roller 47 operating in a cam groove 4-?" formed on the inner face of the gear wheel 28. The shape of the groove is such that in the rotation of the gear wheel 2 the roller will swing the crank 4-7 and os cillate the shaft in a manner which will cause the dogs to engage with the shoulders 46 and positively lock the platen momenlarily against movement during the interval that the printing of the sheet is being actually done.

The cam groove is designed to move the dogs l l clear of the shoulders inunediately after the printing has been done and into contact with the shoulders imn'iediately prcceding the printing impression being made.

The sheet of paper picked up by the platen from the top of the stack is raised to its position on the platen by air suction and is held to the platen by air .suction during the printing operation and up till such time that the printed sheet is to be removed from the machine by gripping fingers later described.

The method for effecting the air suction at the platen is now described.

A suction air fan, indicated generally by the reference number 48, is mounted on the front side of the plate 1 and presents a pulley 48 which is connected by means of a belt or such like 49 to a pulley 4:9 secured to the shaft 29. The fan will be accordingly operated when the fly wheel is rotated and when operated the suction of the said fan is adapt ed to effect a downward air draft through a pipe 50, swivally attached to the fan casing at 50. and having the upper end thereof slid.- ably telcscoped within the lower end of a further pipe 51 connected swivelly at 52 to' a T-pipe 58 mounted on the underside of the platen at one end. The ends of the T- pipe connect with spaced air tubes 54 and 541: embedded in the under face of the platen, said air tubes being provided with suitably spaced air holes 55. The ends of the air tubes are telescoped over the end of the T- pipe and a filler block as is interposed llQ- tween the air tubes and is attached to the platen by releasable screws 56. Referring to lfigrure 8 it will be observed that the tubes have inwardly extending flzuigcs which are adapted to pass between the tiller block and the platen, the tiller blocks actually holding the air tubes in place on the platen when the screws 5(l are tightened up.

According; to this arrangen'ient I can vary the distance between the air tubes by utilizing different widths of filler blocks and telescoping the tubes on the T-pipe to accou'unodate the width of blocks used. This permits me to adjust my air tubes. depending on the width of paper used, from. time to time. The tubes 50 and 51 are tclescoped and the swivel joints are made to allow the tubes to follow the movement of the pldl'fin.

From the above arrangement, it will be obvious that when the machine is running; the fan will cause a suction of air inwardlv through the holes which suction draft is utilized to pick up and. hold against the platen, the uppermost sheet of the stack of paper.

The dog the ratchet wheel 21 and jack screw 17 are all designed and operated such that the table 16 Will rise, each time a sheet lUU is printed, sufiiciently far to make up for the thickness of the sheet removed, prior to printing the same. In other words, during each revolution of the shaft 26, the table is raised the thickness of one sheet by the jack screw.

The platen is provided with downmirdly extending side flanges 57 and 57 having a depth the same as the depth of the tubes and filler block, and the flange 57 is cut away centrally to provide an entrance passage for the gripping lingers, shortly described.

The gripping fingers are carried by the platen and are automatically operated to swing in and grip the sheet of paper against the platen, this occur-mg during the interval that the table is moving down and prior to the initial swinging movement of the platen. Subsequently the fingers. while still gripping 'lhe paper, turn with the platen and when the platen comes back to its initial position the lingers withdraw to remove the paper, this withdrawing movement occurring before the table has come up to its initial raised position under the influence oi? the link 39 and arm 15. The gripping mechanism is now described.

Forwardly on the platen I mount rotatahly. a comparatively short cross shaft 58 which provided at the rear end with a crank 59 and a roller and at the forward end with a crank arm the crank arm being connected by a rod 60 to a swinging arm 61 pivotally connected at 61 to the front side of the platen. The roller 59 rides the face of a cam permanently secured to the rear end of the shaft- 26, the roller being held into contact with the cam by a spring (53, the spring being attached, in the present instance, to the crank arm 60 and the platen.

The cam is designed. in the rotation of the shaft 26, to cause the in swinging movement of the free end of the arm 61 to *ards the platen. this occurring before the platen is rotated. Subsequently the cam produces no movement in the arm during the interval that the platen is swinging to printing position and returning. but the instant the platen returns to its initial position (and prior to the final raising of the table) the arm 61 is swung out and this out swinging movement is utilized to withdraw the printed sheet. The details of the fingers used for gripping the sheet are now described.

To the underside of the arm 61 I secure permanently a bracket til, the lower end of which terminates in an inturned linger Gel and associated with the fine-er (a l 1' provide a further finger 65 which is provided with upstanding side arms (56, these arms being pirotally connected to the bracket at 66. The upper ends of the arms 66 are connected by a. cross bar 67 which is released and locked in two positions by a dog 68 located at one end of a shaft 68 rotatably carried by the arm 61. The other end of the latter shaft is supplied with a, crank 69 which is connected by a flexible line 69 to the platen.

In the initial position of the parts as shown in the drawings, it will be seen that the dog is overlying the bar (57 and that the fingers are open. In the in swinging movement of the arm (it as controlled by the cam 62, the arms 6b are brought into contact with the side of the platen. the platen entering, the open space (see Figure 13) above the finger (i l. The arms (36 being struck. causes the finger ($5 to close and the fingers have at this time entered through the passage 57 in the flange 57 and are positioned so that they will grip the sheet of paper held against the platen face by the air suction. At the time the arms (56 are struck to cause the gripping ot the paper by the fingers, the same movement of the arms 66 causes an out swing of the bar 67, with the result that the dog (58 drops in behind the bar 67 and locks the fingers gripped. As before explained, the sheet gripped is held by the fingers until the platen returns and the instant it returns. the cam 62 operates to swing out the arm 61 to its initial position, this resulting in the withdrawal of the printed sheet from the platen and pern'iitting of the uppermost sheet of the stack to be sucked up against the face of the platen when the paper rises to its highest position subsequently.

lVhen the arm 61 is reaching its outer position, the line 69 draws taut and in so doing rotates the shaft 68 to raise the dog and unlock the fingers, the paper will then drop.

The air suction produces a more or less vibratory movement of the upper papers of the stack and it is desirable to provide means for striking or tapping; the edges of the papers to keep them centred. This mechanism is now described.

At the rear side oi, the machine I locate a pair of rollers 70 which are carried at the rear end of a bar 7 0, the bar passing through a vertical slot in the side plate 2 and being carried slidably in a bearing 71 secured to the carriage 13. The inner end of the bar is secured to a cross bar 72 and the cross bar has the ends thereof lengthwise slotted as indicated at 72. The bar 70 is fitted with a number of ratchet teeth 73 and has the toothed partthereol. passing through the lower slotted end of a vertical post 73' permanently secured to an adjusting plate 74: slidablv mounted for in and out adjusting, movement on the carriage. A ratchet 75 is pivotallv connected in the slotted end of the post and engages the teeth 73 and is provided with a lever arm 75 which is connected by means of an ope 'ating rod 76 to a striker or tapper 77 in the form of a bell crank pivotally mounted for vertical movement in slots 78 and a coiled spring 78' normally holds the pin in the upper end of the slots.

According to this latter arrangement, it is possible for the striker to strike the platen without being dan'iaged.

The rollers are designed, in the up and down movement of the carriage, to ride over a hump '2'0 located on the plate 2 and when riding over the hump will give the bar 70 an end kick which will produce a tapping action of the striker 77 against the edge of the paper,the spring ?8 functioning also to return the striker after it has been moved by the hump. This striking obviously occurs twice each revolution of the shaft 26. At the opposite side of the stack of paper, to the striker just described, and also at the ends of the paper I locate similar strikers which are actuated in a similar manner to strike the edges of the top sheets. In Figures 9 and 10 I have shown the mechanism for operating the latter strikers.

On the carriage and in a location opposing the bar 72 I locate a bar 79 which is parallel to the bar 72 and has the ends thereof slotted and is fitted centrally with an outstanding arm 79 corresponding to the arm or bar 70'. This bar 79 also equipped with ratchet teeth operating on a dog carried by an upstanding post, and the post carries a striker actuated by the dog, the details of the parts and their operation being the same as that hereinbefore described.

The bars 72 and 79 are connected by parallel end bars 80 located beyond the ends of the stack of paper and these end bars are provided with slanting slots 81 which receive pivoted arms 82, the arms being p1voted to upstanding posts 83 corresponding to those 73. The arms 82 are prevented from lateral displacement by guides 84: and 84: and the rods 85 for operating the strikers 77 have their lower ends looped around the arms 82.

According to this arrangement, when the bars 72 and 79 are side shifted, the bars 80 are end shifted and this end shifting movement is utilized to raise and lower the arms 82 and consequently cause the operation of the strikers 7 7. The posts, of which there are six in the present instance, are all adjustable on the carriage, the base plate carrying the post being fitted with a jam screw 86, the head of which operation in a T-slot 87 cut in the carriage plate. The posts all pass through suitable slots made in the table as do also the rods for operating the strikers.

Nhat I claim as my invention is 2- 1. In a. printing machine in combination, a platen mounted to permit placement of a stack of paper sheets therebeneath, means for creating and maintaining a suction of alr towards the face of the platen to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack towards the platen and subsequently hold the same thereon, means for rotating the platen to printing position and for returning the same, means for shifting the stack of paper to clear the rotating platen and for returning the Stuck to its initial position and means for withdrawing a sheet of paper from the platen subsequent to the return of the same.

In a printing machine in combination, a platen mounted to permit placement of a stack of paper sheets therebeneath, means for creating and maintaining a suction of air to wards the face of the platen to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack towards the platen and subsequently hold the same thereon, means for rotating the platen to printing position and for returning the same, means for shifting the stack of paper to clear the rotating platen and for returning the stack to its initial position and means for withdrawing the printed sheet from the platen subsequent to the return of the platen and prior to the return of the stack.

3. In a printing machine in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of paper sheets thereon, a platen above the stack of paper, means for rotating the platen to printing position, means for lowering and returning the table to clear the stack from the rotating platen, means for eil'ecting a suction of air towards the face of the platen to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack against the face of the platen and hold the same thereon during the rotation of the platen and means for withdrawing the printed sheet from the face of the platen.

4:. In a printing machine in combination, a table adapted to support a stack of paper sheets thereon, a platen above the stack of paper, means for rotating the platen to printing position, means for lowering and returning the table to clear the stack from the rotating platen, means for effecting a suction of air towards the face of the platen to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack against the face of the platen and hold the same thereon during the rotation of the platen, means for withdrawing the printed sheet from the face of the platen and means for automatically and intermittently raising the table to accommodate the decreasing height of the stack.

5. In a printing machine in combination, a form carrying type bed and a platen mounted to swing into printing contact, a table mounted within the machine and adapted to support a stack of paper sheets beneath the platen, with the uppermost sheet thereof normally opposing the platen, means for moving the table to permit the stack to clear the platen as it moves towards and returns from the form, means for effecting a suction of air towards the platen to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack to the platen and hold the same against the face thereof during the printing operation and means for automatically withdrawing the successively printed sheets from the platen.

6. In a printing machine in combination, a platen and a form carrying type bed mounted and operated to pass into printing contact, a table located within the machine and adapted to support a stack of papersheets beneath the platen, with the uppermost sheet of the stack positioned directly opposite the platen, means for effecting and maintaining a constant suction of air towards the face of the platen to initially draw the uppermost sheet of the stack against the face of the platen and maintain it there during the printing operation, means for automatically lowering and raising the table to permit the stack to clear out of the path of travel of the moving platen, means for automatically and intermittently adjusting the table to accommodate the diminishing height of the stack of paper sheets and auton'latically operated means carried by the platen for forcibly withdrawing the printed sheet from the face of the platen.

7. In a printing machine in combination, a platen and a form carrying type bed mounted and operated to pass into print? ing contact, a table located within the machine and adapted to support a stack of paper sheets beneath the platen, the uppermost sheet of the stack being positioned directly opposite the platen, means for effecting and maintaining a constant suction of air towards the face of the platen to initially draw the uppermost sheet of the stack against the face of the platen and maintain it there during the printing operation, means for automatically lowering and raising the table to permit the stack to clear out of the path of travel of the moving platen, means for automatically and intermittently adjusting the table to accommodate the din'iinishing height of the stack of paper sheets, automatically operated means carried by the platen for forcibly withdrawing the printed sheet from the face of the platen and means for momentarily locking the platen against swinging movement during the interval that the platen and form are in contact.

8. In a printing machine in combination, a rotatably mounted platen having the face thereof normally down turned, an inwardly and outwardly swingable form carrying type bed, means for rotating the platen and for swinging the type bed so that they will come into printing contact, a table located beneath the platen adapted to support a stack of paper sheet with the uppermost sheet of the stack normally opposite the face of the platen, perforated tubes carried by the face of the platen, means for effecting a continuous suction air draft through the tubes to draw the UPI'JGPDIOSt sheet of the stack against the face of the platen and maintain the same there during the rotation of the platen, means for automatically lowering and raising the table to clear the stack out of the path of travel of the rotating platen, automatically operated gripping fingers carried by the platen adapted to grip the printed sheet held on the face of the platen by the air suction created and withdraw the same from the face of the platen, means for positively locking the platen Inon'ientarily against rotation during the interval that the platen and form are in contact and means for automatically and intermittently adjusting the table to accommodate the varying height of the stack of paper sheets.

9. In a printing machine in combination, opposing side plates, an elevated cross shaft suitably mounted in the side plates, a platen rotatably mounted on the shaft and having the face thereof down turned an inwardly swingable form carrying type bed pivotally carried by the plates, means for swinging the type bed inwardly and outwardly, means for rotating the platen to cause the platen and type bed to come into printing contact each time the type bed swings in, means for automatically and momentarily locking the platen against rotation during the interval that the type bed and platen are in contact, a carriage underlying the platen, a table carried by the carriage and serving to support a stack of paper sheets with the uppermost sheet of the stack being positioned opposing the face of the platen, means actuated by the swinging movement of the type bed adapted to raise and lower the carriage .to clear the stack of paper from the path of travel of the platen, said carriage moving prior to the platen and returning subsequently thereto, air tubes associated with the face of the platen, means for creating and maintaining a constant suction of air in the tubes to draw the uppermost sheet of the stack to the face of the platen and hold the same thereon during the printing movement of the platen, automatically operated lingers carried by the platen adapted to grip the edge of the printed sheet of paper and forcibly withdraw the same from the face of the platen and subsequently release the sheet and means for automatically and intermittently raising the table in respect to the carriage to accommodate the variation in height of the stack of papers on the table.

10. In a printing machine, a platen, means for holding a sheet of paper against the face of the platen by a suction of air and means for Withdrawing the sheet of paper laterally from the face of the platen.

11. In a printing machine, a platen, means for creating and maintaining a suction of air towards the face of the platen to draw a sheet of paper to the platen and holcl the same thereon and means for withdrawing the sheet of paper laterally from the face 01' the platen.

12. In a printing machine a platen, means for creating and maintaining a suction air draft towards the face of the platen, means for presenting sheets of paper successively t0 the platen to be caught in the air draft and held on the platen thereby, means for printing each sheet Whilst held on the platen by the air draft and means for laterally Withdrawing the successively printed sheets. 7

S gned at Winnipeg, this 25 day of September 1925.

WILLIAM GEORGE REYNOLDS. 

